Chapter 94: Buying People Based on Favor
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
After breakfast, Han Qiao gave Sun Xiu and Sun Yi a few instructions before leaving with Heng Yi.
Then they left with Bai Cha driving the carriage.
In order to get along with Han Qiao, Heng Yi stopped riding and decided to sit next to her.
The carriage traveled quite fast, and Heng Yi even took Han Qiao to see the manor.
They didn’t get close to the building and just looked from afar.
Back then, the other party had asked for 330 taels of silver, and Third Brother Hu had helped to bargain for 330 taels of silver. The other party requested that they had to harvest this season’s crops and fruits.
It was also because they encountered difficulties that they held onto these things. After all, they had to live.
He understood Third Brother Hu’s meaning and called out the former master of this village, the rich and n.o.ble.
Looking at it from afar, Han Qiao was very satisfied.
The land should be about more than ten mu. There might be forty to fifty mu of orchards at the back of the mountain. All in all, it looked like a huge piece of land.
The house also looked good, with several independent courtyards.
“The more I look at it, the more I like it.” Han Qiao said softly.
“Do you want to live here?” Heng Yi asked.
There were also mountains behind the manor where they could hunt and gather some herbs.
“Didn’t we agree to live in Xishan Village? Besides, we couldn’t come here for the time being. We have to wait until the owner takes away their crops.”
“We’ll move next year.”
“We might live in the county town by then. There’s no rush. There are still a few months.”
Han Qiao called Heng Yi into the carriage.
When the carriage arrived at Puyi County, Han Qiao didn’t go to Yihe Restaurant and went straight to the broker house.
If she wanted to buy a maid to wash clothes and cook, she just needed to look for an honest, agile, and healthy person. She didn’t have too many requirements.
It was easy to buy a person that met her conditions.
But Han Qiao had another request. “The maid has to know some martial arts.”
The granny in charge was in a difficult position.
But she quickly remembered, “I have an old woman here. She came from the escort agency, so she should know some martial arts.”
Soon, the old woman was brought to Han Qiao.
After a few questions, she found out that she had been a chef in the agency and occasionally had to follow some escorts to work.
She was good at washing clothes and cooking, and she also knew a little martial arts.
Han Qiao observed the woman and was satisfied to note that she was healthy and her eyes were clean.
“Show me a few moves.”
“Yes, madam!”
She showed a few tricks and it seemed she was doing well.
The old woman asked the waiter to go up and practice a few moves with her. It seemed that her martial arts were not bad.
“I know how to use a knife,” The old woman said.
She obviously wanted to be bought.
Han Qiao looked like a kind person, and Heng Yi looked honest as well.
“Can you read?” Han Qiao asked again.
“I can read a few big words.”
She knew martial arts, had good cooking skills, and was literate. Han Qiao was very satisfied.
After bargaining with the granny, she finally bought Auntie Zhao for 70 taels.
Han Qiao then asked the granny, “Is there anyone who knows how to embroider and read?”
The granny looked at Han Qiao. “What are you planning to do?”
“I have three daughters at home and I want to find a master to teach them.”
The old woman moved closer to Han Qiao. “Are you willing to take in a criminal for your family?”
“What do you mean?” Han Qiao asked.
“Her father and brother made a big mistake and implicated her. She was originally going to be sold to the Education Bureau, but someone stepped in, so she was sold to the broker house. Do you want to take a look at her first? If you like her, you can buy her too. If you don’t…”
“There’s no need to look. I don’t dare to buy such people.” Han Qiao refused immediately.
Was she willing to buy a young lady from a rich family to be worshiped like an ancestor?
If she was good-looking and young -if she fell in love with Heng Yi- she would be inviting a wolf into the house.
It would be nice if the three children, who had always felt inferior, met a good master to guide them. If they were to be taught badly by a proud master, the gains would not make up for the losses.
In the end, it was best not to even consider her.
“I see…” The old woman was slightly disappointed.
“Are you really not going to take a look?” She asked again.
“No.” Han Qiao rejected her in a very rational manner.
The old woman felt that it was a pity.
She thought for a while and said, “If you’re just looking for a master, I know another one. It’s just that her body isn’t in good condition and she’s a little old. You’ll have to spend money to treat her illness when you buy her.”
“Then we can take a look.”
She was not afraid of old age, and she was not afraid of treating others.
As long as this person could teach her three children diligently, Han Qiao wouldn’t mind taking care of them in their old age.
Therefore, most of the time, she relied on how they presented themselves, their temperament, and their charm.
The moment she saw Lady Lin, Han Qiao knew that she was the one.
Whether it was from her bearing, her tone of voice, or her sitting posture, she immediately knew that she would be perfect for the job.
Those who could learn embroidery and had some skills would know how to read and write. They would also recite poems and paint to cultivate their sentiments and increase their knowledge and understanding.
Lady Lin was also a pitiful person. She had been sold to the embroidery workshop since she was young and had worked there for her entire life. She had not even married. When she was old, she contracted a serious illness which even after she was cured, she could not continue to embroider. So the embroidery workshop sold her to the broker house.
She was cheaper than Aunt Zhao. Only five taels of silver would do.
Han Qiao paid all of them in one go.
She could not help but sigh.
This world was really… It made people helpless.
After buying two good people, Han Qiao brought Lady Lin to the clinic to see a doctor.
Her illness was very serious.
“You have to take the medicine on time and need a lot of rest. So don’t overwork yourself.”
Lady Lin had always been worked to the bone and now she had to take good care of herself.
Whether it was eating or working, they had to be more meticulous.
It was best for her not to work too hard.
“Let’s get your medicine that will be enough to last five days first. We’ll come back for a follow-up visit after that,” Han Qiao said.
“Madam…” Lady Lin called out softly.
“Relax and recuperate. We’ll talk about the rest later.”
“Madam, don’t worry. I will teach the three young ladies well and teach them my embroidery skills.”
Han Qiao nodded.
Now that there were many people in the family, food consumption would also increase. Han Qiao went to buy rice and flour and decided not to buy much coa.r.s.e grain. It was fine to eat fresh food occasionally, but she could not bear to eat it every day or for every meal.
If the conditions allowed, it was better to eat well.
She bought ten big jars and ten small jars of kimchi and weighed thirty catties of salt.
Bai Cha called for another carriage to load the food.
The jar seller agreed to deliver the jar to her door, but she had to pay a little more for his hard work.
They still didn’t go to Yihe Restaurant or look for He Hong.
Instead, they bought half a piece of pork and went home.
When they pa.s.sed by Yihe Restaurant, Han Qiao lifted the curtain to take a look.
“Do you want to go down and rest?” Heng Yi asked.
“No, let’s return home.” Han Qiao lowered the curtain.
She planned to open her own restaurant when she moved to the county town.
She would not get involved with Yihe Restaurant.
It was easy to get along with He Hong, but not Zhao Huan.
For that reason alone, it was best to stay as far away as possible from such a scheming woman. Better yet, it was best not to have any contact with her.
By the time they arrived, the carriage unfortunately still couldn’t enter the village.
So they had to get down and carry their things themselves.
Han Yuan was very surprised to see Han Qiao had bought so many jars. It made her think that her daughter did not know how to save. Money was not earned that easily.
She called a few grandsons to help bring Bai Cha’s carriage home.
“There have been thieves in the neighboring village recently,” Han Yuan said softly.
“Did Heng Yi say anything about the amount of things you bought?”
Han Qiao smiled, “What would he say? I’m not the only one eating so much. He has to eat too.”
But Han Qiao wasn’t concerned over that matter, “Mother, which village was robbed?”